Key points:
1) This study sought to determine whether smoking was a risk
factor for CRS and whether it has an impact on disease specific quality
of life.
2) We found no significant difference in active smoking
prevalence by CRS disease (CRSsNPs and CRSwNPs) vs controls. We were
able however to demonstrate a significant symptom burden associated with
smoking, with significantly worse SNOT-22 scores in the smoking cohort
by a mean magnitude of 10 points.
3) Cigarette smoke has a deleterious effect on the quality of
life and symptom burden of patients with CRS and clinicians should
encourage smoking cessation alongside general CRS medical management.